When do the leaves change in Nevada?
Aspen groves turn gold across the Great Basin's mountain ranges, most famously Lamoille Canyon in the Ruby Mountains and Wheeler Peak in Great Basin National Park. Peak color typically runs late September into mid-October.
Peak: October 13–October 25
Color builds from October 3 · mostly bare by November 10
Nevada is sampled at 53 weather points, and that answer already agrees with 1 published peak date from smokymountains.com, so nothing is added to it. This year's weather has the peak running 1 day later than a normal year. Across Nevada the first place to turn and the last sit about 12 days apart. How the forecast works
Known for
Things to do in fall in Nevada
10 iconic stops, including scenic drives, farms, haunts, and the views locals plan their October around.
Great Basin National Park
National parkPeak October 19
Wheeler Peak's aspen groves turn gold beneath bristlecone pines over 4,000 years old in one of the least-visited national parks in the…
The Gilcrease Orchard
OrchardColor nearby peaks November 5
Sixty acres of you-pick orchard in northwest Las Vegas, run since 1997 by the non-profit Gilcrease Orchard Foundation on land the Gilcrease…
Haunted Harvest at Springs Preserve
Fall festivalColor nearby peaks November 7
The lights-on, kid-scale alternative to Vegas haunts: four evenings of trick-or-treat stations, crafts and food trucks scattered through…
The Washoe Club
Ghost tourColor nearby peaks October 13
The Washoe Club has stood on C Street since Virginia City's silver-boom days, and it now runs daily ghost tours through the saloon and…
Virginia City
Historic townColor nearby peaks October 12
Virginia City grew up almost overnight on the Comstock Lode silver strike of 1859 and still keeps its wooden boardwalks, saloons, and mine…
Genoa Candy Dance Faire
Fall festivalColor nearby peaks October 7
Genoa, Nevada's oldest town, closes its Main Street for the Candy Dance Faire every September, a two-day craft fair that traces back to a…
The Final Hour
Haunted attractionColor nearby peaks October 18
The Final Hour packs more than 10,000 square feet of haunted house into a Sparks warehouse just east of Reno, staffed by live actors and…
Moapa Valley Cornmaze
Corn mazeColor nearby peaks November 17
An hour northeast of Las Vegas in the farm country around Logandale, the Moapa Valley Cornmaze turns into a haunted corn maze after dark…
Frequently asked
- When do leaves peak in Nevada in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 13–October 25 (best estimate October 19). Color starts around October 3 and trees are mostly bare by November 10.
- How reliable is the Nevada forecast?
- The forecast blends recent-year weather normals with photoperiod and elevation; it tightens as the season approaches. Against published peak dates the model lands within a few days for most regions, but it can be a week or more out. Mountains and coastlines are the hardest. Higher elevations turn roughly one day earlier per 300 m.
- When is Nevada's autumn season?
- Nevada is in the northern hemisphere, so its color season is autumn (September to November). The turn takes roughly 38 days end to end, centered on October 19, and the last 13 of those are thinning canopy rather than color.
- What are the best things to do in fall in Nevada?
- The iconic stops: Great Basin National Park, The Gilcrease Orchard, Haunted Harvest at Springs Preserve, The Washoe Club, Virginia City, Genoa Candy Dance Faire. Every one is mapped on this page with its peak-color timing.
Nearby & similar
Cities in Nevada
Local peak timing and things to do in fall, computed for each city.
Season by season
2026 (forecast)
Peak October 13–October 25
October 3 → November 10